Long Term Regional Career

BrettInLJ

BrettInLJ

Well-Known Member
What would you say the long term (10-20 year) outlook is for regional carriers? Many pilots fly for a regional in order to jump to a major 5-10 years later. For someone that would be quite happy with a long term career with a regional carrier, would the long term benefits come close to those of a major (in terms of pay, etc)? It seems like if you were to stick with it, your seniority number would climb pretty fast given the number of pilots that move on.
 
When you refer to the "majors" I'm thinking you're actually referring to the "legacies" aka Delta, Continental, United, etc.

3rd & 4th year f/o pay at the legacies is more than most of the regionals top pay scales...which is why people want to get there!

Now, any carrier with revenues >$1 billion is considered a "major" by the, umm, FAA?, actually I'm not really who put than into place but I believe that's the number.

If you follow Comair much, they recently broke $1 billion and as such became a "major". However, they don't have "legacy" pay scales...

As far as flying for a regional for your career, I can't speak from experience as I haven't been down that road. I sincerely hope the legacies hire again, and with good pay scales (I can dream can't I?).

cya
~wheelsup
 
I'm thinking that long term (10-20 years) the "legacy" airlines will all have to redefine themselves to survive. When I first started flying, I just dreamt of flying the big iron, but now I realize that I would be perfectly happy flying an RJ or something even smaller. The long term financial picture is not something to take lightly of course. It would be nice if the top pay grades at a regional would approach the mid paygrades at a major, given the amount of time you would put in and your experience if you choose to stay.
 
I absolutely agree. I used to want to one day fly for a major, esp. Delta. But now, my permanent aim is set on a regional airline. Eagle, XJT, Comair, ASA, and Mesaba are the top contenders for me
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I've realized now that in terms of $$$, my eventual life goal is to break the six figure mark. With all those regionals listed above, that's possible once you're very senior (18 years).
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I'm ready for the 6-10 year upgrade time on a RJ, and am preparing to live on 20-40K as a F/O.
 
Comair salaries are close to at least one legacy carrier...

2005 pay rate for CRJ-700 most senior capts. $118.22

US Airways most senior 737 and A319/320/321 $125


Less than 7 dollars per hour away...


Believe me when I say that the days of potentially earning 250-300K+ at majors are gone for a long time.
 
I'm in the same boat as most of you, also. I would dream of flying the big iron for United for so long...(Needless to say, that's not the case anymore.)

Now I'm thinking of ASA, ComAir and Express Jet
 
Now imagine if all the legacies went under and ASA, Comair, Expressjet and the others became Majors? Just a thought.

No airline lasts forever, besides JetBlue
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[ QUOTE ]
Now imagine if all the legacies went under and ASA, Comair, Expressjet and the others became Majors? Just a thought.

No airline lasts forever, besides JetBlue
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

You are kidding right? God I hope so. If you are in some chaotic way serious about JB, please go pick up a book about aviation history.
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I too dreampt about flying heavies for American following in my fathers footsteps, let alone for another carrier. Not so sure it will happen with the current trends in the industry. I would love to see a blended wing a/c in any livery flying the globe. SST types will probably not make it to market for quite some time.
 
You're shooting at a moving target. As the industry settles out there won't be so many airlines to choose from, by at least half, including "regionals". As the number of hubs shrinks the trend will be toward larger jets. The 50 seat RJs give way to 70 seat and higher, with 100 being the norm. ALPA will either cease to exist as a national union or bite the bullet and do what it takes to consolidate pilot groups.

If you are looking at a 25 year career do this little exercise: Look back on the industry 25 years. Then factor that much change (probably more) into the next 25 years. It's going to be a ride.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Now imagine if all the legacies went under and ASA, Comair, Expressjet and the others became Majors? Just a thought.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think that would be impossible. All of the regionals DEPEND on the legacies for income. If they went under, the regionals would not have anyone to feed traffic to...they would not exist. They might possibly spin off like ACA/Independance Air did, who knows.

~wheelsup
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Now imagine if all the legacies went under and ASA, Comair, Expressjet and the others became Majors? Just a thought.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think that would be impossible. All of the regionals DEPEND on the legacies for income. If they went under, the regionals would not have anyone to feed traffic to...they would not exist. They might possibly spin off like ACA/Independance Air did, who knows.

~wheelsup

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think that makes sense either. The scenario was that the "legacies" go under. Then, according to your thought on the regionals, they go under also, since they depend on the legacies. So now, there are no airlines. I think there is a low chance that ALL the airlines will go under.
 
Okay, here's my bold prediction.

There's going to be an airline industry.

What it will look like? I have no clue. Nor does anyone who is being honest with themselves. Remember, back in the 1980s, there were all sorts of airlines that were touted as things that were going to kill the legacy carriers. Except we've got six legacy carriers still flying, and guys like PeopleExpress, Apple Air, and a bunch of other guys who ain't around anymore.
 
[ QUOTE ]

I don't think that makes sense either. The scenario was that the "legacies" go under. Then, according to your thought on the regionals, they go under also, since they depend on the legacies. So now, there are no airlines. I think there is a low chance that ALL the airlines will go under.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why I included that line at the end of my post about the regionals spinning off like independance air. There must be an airline industry, the US business world just wouldn't function without one. But if the hand that feeds your mouth gets cut off, you starve....

BTW, here is a list of airlines that don't depend on feeder carriers:

<ul type="square">
[*]AIRTRAN
[*]ALASKA
[*]ALOHA
[*]ATA
[*]AMERICA WEST
[*]FRONTIER
[*]HAWAIIAN
[*]INDEPENDENCE
[*]JETBLUE
[*]MIDWEST
[*]SOUTHWEST
[*]SPIRIT
[*]SUN COUNTRY
[/list]

Would those carriers be fit to fill the void if ALL the other carriers (and regionals) went under? Not by a longshot. But I would doubt that all the legacies would go under at the exact same time.

~wheelsup
 
[ QUOTE ]

What it will look like? I have no clue. Nor does anyone who is being honest with themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I have that info.

I got it from a file marked "Airline Restructuring for the future by the USAF and FAA." It was in the vault at Area 51.
 
Great deal Mike,

I have a secret clearance ... just go ahead and send it PM, don't worry ... my PM inbox operates on a DSN line
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I too once thought I would love to be at a regional forever. However the more and more I realize the cost of living in southern cali, the more and more I realize it ain't gonna happen.

The only way I would leave my current position is if the offer was too sweet to refuse. In other words I ain't going to no Kerblikistan to fly cargo as F/E on a Tu 144. Yah Dig?
 
[ QUOTE ]
BTW, here is a list of airlines that don't depend on feeder carriers:

<ul type="square">
[*]AIRTRAN
[*]ALASKA
[*]ALOHA
[*]ATA
[*]AMERICA WEST
[*]FRONTIER
[*]HAWAIIAN
[*]INDEPENDENCE
[*]JETBLUE
[*]MIDWEST
[*]SOUTHWEST
[*]SPIRIT
[*]SUN COUNTRY
[/list]

[/ QUOTE ]I suppose it depends on how you define "depend", but America West, Aloha, Hawaiian, and Frontier all have regional partners. Independence basically provides its own feed, a model which isn't working out so hot for them so far. jetBlue will be flying its own feed soon too, when the EMB 190s arrive on-property.

What we learned in jr. high science still holds true: nature abhors nothing more than a vacuum. Where there is demand, supply will rise to meet it. When one airline goes under, the others will grow to fill the breech. It's simply survival of the fittest.
 
Of the people on your list, ATA just had to file for bankruptcy and sell off gates; Independence Air is flirting with it; and Hawaiian was in it.

You gotta love the marketplace. Some companies succeed, some die, and some just kind of linger.
 
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